Coach K Admits Team USA Reached Out To Kobe Bryant One Last Time

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio are right around the corner. As usual, Team USA will have one of the most talented basketball teams competing for gold this summer with legendary Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski leading the way for the United States.

Although the roster has a lot of big-name players like Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, and Draymond Green, the team will be without quite a few alpha dogs from past competitions. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Kobe Bryant will not be on the squad this year.

Despite Bryant’s expected absence due to retirement, Coach K admits the team checked in on him one last time to see if he may be interested in competing for a roster spot, according to ESPN’s Arash Markazi:

Coach K on making sure Kobe Bryant didn't want to compete for a spot on Team USA. pic.twitter.com/lfTajIfd6s

— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 20, 2016

Before announcing his retirement back in November, Bryant was interested in finishing his playing career wearing a Team USA jersey. Kobe thought it might be the ideal way to go out, especially with the Los Angeles Lakers nowhere near to winning much of anything this past season.

Apparently, after battling numerous injuries, fatigue, and putting on a show with a 60-point performance in his final game in a Lakers uniform, Bryant is finally ready to end his playing career. The five-time NBA champion may have been tempted to end on a high note in terms of potentially winning another gold medal, but he seems content with walking away while he’s ahead.